Letter to the
Congressional Leadership on Aid to the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance

February 3, 1988

Dear
XXXXX:

On
January 27, I transmitted to the Congress a request for $36.25 million in
further assistance for the Nicaraguan democratic resistance. Our goal in Nicaragua is simple -- peace and
democracy. Our policy has consistently supported the efforts of those who seek
democracy throughout Central America and who recognize that
the freedom fighters are essential to that process.

Ninety
percent of my request is for non-lethal aid, including food, clothing, medicine
and transportation. The other ten percent is for ammunition and air defense
missiles that would not be available for delivery until after March
31, 1988
pending my certification that:

-- at the time of
certification, no ceasefire is in place that was agreed to by the Government of
Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan democratic resistance;

-- the failure to achieve such a ceasefire
results from the lack of good faith efforts by the Government of Nicaragua to
comply with the requirements of the Declaration of the Presidents of the
Central American Nations at San Jose, Costa Rica on January 16, 1988; and

-- the Nicaraguan
democratic resistance has engaged in good faith efforts to achieve such a
ceasefire.

As
I have already stated, I would make that certification only after consulting
personally with the Congress and the Presidents of the four Central American
democracies, and I would give considerable weight to their views on the
question of whether Nicaragua has complied with the
San Jose Declaration.

Furthermore,
in the event that I find it necessary to make such a certification, I will
notify the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the
Senate of my intention to do so ten days in advance. If the Congress adopts
during that ten-day period a concurrent resolution stating that the Government
of Nicaragua is in compliance with the San Jose Declaration, then I will
refrain voluntarily from making the certification, and the suspension of lethal
aid deliveries will continue.

I
believe that this arrangement will afford Congress and the Executive branch the
opportunity to address jointly the central question of Sandinista compliance
with the commitments made at the San Jose Summit. Accordingly, I strongly urge
that the Congress give its approval to my request of January 27, which in my
judgment will serve to enhance the national security interests of the United States by strengthening the
prospects for democracy in Central America.

Sincerely,

Ronald
Reagan

Note: Identical letters
were sent to Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd, Senate Minority Leader
Robert Dole, House Majority Leader Thomas S. Foley, House Minority Leader
Robert H. Michel, and other Members of Congress.